The solution may be run as a converged application, or the Provisioning and Assurance modules may be run as stand-alone applications.
When you run Cisco Prime Collaboration as a converged application, a single sign-on is available to log in and access both the Provisioning and Assurance features.
In the case of stand-alone applications, separate logins are available.

IT managers can easily identify poor quality calls and are able to address the underlying network issues causing the quality issue. Cisco Prime Collaboration uses Cisco Voice Transmission Quality (CVTQ) information from the phones and sensors placed in the network to collect Mean Opinion Score
(MOS) data. Operators can easily define customized thresholds based on specific criteria (codec, phone type, and so on), and when the voice quality of any call drops below that threshold, reports and notifications are provided.

Q.What are the benefits of using Cisco Prime Collaboration?

A.Cisco Prime Collaboration offers the following benefits:

●Lower deployment and operating costs through accelerated site rollouts, reduced time to add users, delegation of changes to help desk personnel, optimization of critical collaboration infrastructure and resources, and accelerated troubleshooting to reduce mean time to repair (MTTR)

●Improved operational control and consistency with role-based access control and tracking and auditing of all activity for improved accountability and troubleshooting

●Greater end-user quality of experience through assurance management capabilities that help isolate service quality issues before affecting users and minimize system and service outages

●Increased IT staff productivity through proactive operator notification of issues and facilitation of rapid resolution of problems as well as an intuitive GUI and simplified operator task flows that promote ease of use

Q.What is Cisco Prime?

A.Cisco Prime for IT is an innovative strategy and portfolio of management products that empower IT departments to more effectively manage their networks and the services they deliver. Cisco Prime is built upon a network services management foundation and a set of common attributes. It delivers an intuitive workflow-oriented user experience across Cisco architectures, technologies, and networks. Cisco Prime simplifies network management, improves operations efficiency, reduces errors, and makes the delivery of network services more predictable.

A.Yes, Cisco Prime Collaboration identifies the device model for third-party products as well as Windows and Linux servers. It monitors and alerts system and interface health status and processes the MIB-II traps and alerts on those. Additional syslogs can be monitored and alerted using the event customization feature.

Q.Can I disable specific events for endpoints?

A.Yes, you can do that by going to
Administration > Alarm and Event Configuration and disabling the events you want. You can also set severity for events on the same page.
For more information, refer to the Cisco Prime Collaboration 9.0 User Guide located at
http://www.cisco.com/go/primecollaboration.

Q.Can I increase/decrease the polling interval to reduce load on my devices?

A.Yes. Go to
Administration > System Setup > Polling and Threshold and make the appropriate changes to polling intervals
. For more information, refer to the Cisco Prime Collaboration 9.0 User Guide located at
http://www.cisco.com/go/primecollaboration

Q.How is Cisco Prime Collaboration licensed?

A.Cisco Prime Collaboration is a licensed software product that is secured to the MAC of the host server. Licensing is ordered based on the collaboration management options required (Assurance or Provisioning) and the endpoint type (Phone or Cisco TelePresence) and the quantity of those endpoints.

Q.Where can I see my license usage and calculate how many more license units I need?

A.You can calculate license usage and see your current usage from the
Administration > License Management page. For more information on license units for codecs, refer to the Cisco Prime Collaboration Quick Start Guide
located at
http://www.cisco.com/go/primecollaboration.

Q.How do I create more restricted accounts? I do not want all administrators in my organization to use the “admin” account.

A.You can create accounts with different roles. Go to
Administration > User Management and click the Add button in the User Management toolbar. You then can pick a role to assign to the new user for Provisioning, Assurance or both. The Administrator account is not restricted; the User account is the most restricted, with many administrative functions disabled.

A.Yes, Cisco Prime Collaboration works with Cisco
Unified Communications Manager, VCS, and VCS Express products to assess health information like CPU and memory levels of these devices as well as to retrieve call control information pertinent to sessions and calls. It also displays the statistics of these applications in the dashboard views.

Cisco Prime Collaboration also collects other details like endpoints status, cluster level information, trunk group status and utilization, WAN utilization, bandwidth utilization as well as Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) route points and voicemail information, to be displayed in the diagnostics portal under “Operate.”

The polling intervals can be configured through administration features.

A.In a network where Cisco’s medianet capabilities are deployed, Cisco Prime Collaboration can use video performance monitoring and flow-based measurements. It helps enable service and network operators to useCisco’s unique and powerful medianet capabilities such as Mediatrace, Performance Monitor, and IP service-level agreement (IP SLA) video operations to provide enhanced path computation, statistics collection, and synthetic traffic generation for medianet-capable network devices. This allows for a richer set of end-to-end information to be available to service operators as they identify and isolate video collaboration service-related issues.

A.For Cisco medianet-capable network routers and switches, Cisco Prime Collaboration is able to provide network flow information in a media path visualization diagram so that service operators can more easily pinpoint where network traffic issues (including jitter and packet loss) are affecting video collaboration service quality.

Medianet-capable network routers and switches can also act as initiators and responders for IP SLA video operations, enabling proactive diagnostics associated with video.

With medianet voice performance monitor, Cisco Prime Collaboration can offer a snapshot view of what other traffic is occurring at network hotspots that could be affecting a particular Cisco TelePresence session.

Q.How do I know if a router is configured to respond to IP SLA requests?

A.To check the IP SLA configuration from Cisco Prime Collaboration, you can go to
Operate > Device Work Center. Here in the last three columns, you will see Mediatrace Role, IP SLA Role, and Performance Monitor Status. If the IP SLA Role reads “Initiator or Responder,” then IP SLA is configured on it; otherwise, it will show “Unsupported” or “Unknown.
”

Q.How do I know if a router supports Performance Monitor?

A.To check the Performance Monitor configuration from Cisco Prime Collaboration, go to
Operate > Device Work Center. The last column shows the Performance Monitor status. It can be either “Configured” or “Unsupported” or “Unknown.” To configure Performance Monitor from the command-line interface (CLI) you can refer to the Cisco
Performance Monitor Configuration Guide.

Q.I have started an ad hoc point-to-point session but I do not see the session on my Session Diagnostics Page. Why?

A.Cisco Prime Collaboration receives information on the participants from call processors. It collects details, such as when a user joins the session or disconnects from it. All the endpoints need to be added as controlled devices in Cisco Unified Communications Manager for call detection to happen. Cisco Prime Collaboration polls call processors every 15 minutes by default.

The polling intervals can be configured through administration features.

Q.Why do I not see any devices in the drop-down list on the Proactive Troubleshooting page?

A.This may happen if you have no IP SLA responders configured. To check the IP SLA configuration from Cisco Prime Collaboration, go to
Operate > Device Work Center. Here in the last three columns, you will see Mediatrace Role, IP SLA role, and Performance Monitor status. If the IP SLA status reads “Initiator or Responder” then IP SLA is configured on it; otherwise, it will show “Unsupported” or “Unknown.
”

Q.How do I know if a router is medianet-capable or has Cisco Prime Network Analysis Module (NAM) installed from the Troubleshooting page?

A.After troubleshooting a session, if you see a filmstrip decorator on the router in the topology, then that device is medianet enabled.

Similarly, if you see a heart pulse decorator on the router/switch in the topology, that means the device has a NAM installed.

Q.I have a VCS. An Oslo H.323 endpoint A is registered to the VCS, and another Oslo Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) endpoint B registered to the same/different VCS. If A calls B, will it show up in Cisco Prime Collaboration?

A.Yes. Such a call is called a traversal call, and Cisco Prime Collaboration will show the call in the
Operate > Session Diagnostics page.

Q.I have two Cisco TelePresence System SIP endpoints (A and B) each registered to the same Cisco Unified Communications Manager cluster. Will the call from A to B show up in Cisco Prime Collaboration?

A.Yes. Such a call is called a native call and will show up on the
Operate > Session Diagnostics page.

Q.I have two Cisco TelePresence System SIP endpoints (A and B) each registered to a different Cisco Unified Communications Manager cluster. Will the call from A to B show up in Cisco Prime Collaboration?

A.Yes. Cisco Prime Collaboration supports intercluster calls.

Q.I have two H.323 endpoints A and B registered to the same VCS server. Will the call from A to B show up in Cisco Prime Collaboration?

A.Yes. Such a call is called a native call, and it will show up on the
Operate > Session Diagnostics page.

A.Yes, Cisco Prime Collaboration shows the firewall traversal calls if the calls are going through the VCS Expressway in a demilitarized zone (DMZ). However, note that if the VCS Expressway is in the DMZ, then the SNMP ports and the Secure Shell (SSH) Protocol port will be blocked, and hence it will not be manageable. So, it will show up as “Unknown.” However, if you unblock the SSH and SNMP ports and put in the appropriate credentials, the VCS Expressway will be managed in Cisco Prime Collaboration.

Q.How is Cisco Prime Collaboration different from other products that manage Cisco UC deployments?

A.Cisco Prime Collaboration comes with the Cisco commitment to quality and 24-hour support and combines all of the following capabilities into a comprehensive management package:

●Extensive coverage of Cisco Unified Communications and Cisco TelePresence devices as well as the underlying transport infrastructure

●Support for the latest Cisco UC and Cisco TelePresence applications and versions

●Graphical views of the Cisco Unified Communications system, with current status information about all monitored clusters and elements

●Diagnostic tests that can replicate end-user activities, validate phone features, and proactively test dial-plan configuration by way of making phone calls, leaving voicemail, and so on

●Use of built-in agent interfaces to remotely and periodically poll devices without the need for additional network agent software or devices

●IP Phone Audit Report that records an audit trail of IP phone add, remove, and status change operations and maintain this information for a period of up to 30 days

Q.What are some of the benefits of the phone-based diagnostic tests? How can they be used to monitor the availability of the network?

A.Cisco Prime Collaboration includes the ability to dynamically test phones and help ensure that the Cisco Unified Communications deployment is functioning smoothly. Phone testing lets network managers dynamically test the behavior and features of real IP phones deployed in the network without needing any form of physical access. This lets them rapidly troubleshoot problems experienced by real users in the network and drastically improve time to address these issues. Such phone-based diagnostic tests may be used in several scenarios, such as site-validation tests, dial-plan tests, and site-to-site call-reachability tests.

●Site-validation tests: As network managers implement solutions based on Cisco Unified Communications at new sites, there is a need to test every single phone for its registration status, dial tone, calling restrictions, and features (call hold, call transfer, call park, voicemail access, and so on) before going live at that site. The phone-based diagnostic tests let network managers do exactly that by automating the entire test plan. A simple, easy-to-read set of results is made available with the status of each of these tests, which may be further fed into reporting structures to facilitate operational and executive reporting.

●Dial-plan tests: As Cisco Unified Communications deployments grow in size and complexity, dial-plan changes and their impact on subscribers become more and more important. As applications that support the Cisco Unified Communications system (Cisco Unified Communications Manager, Cisco Unity systems, and so on) get upgraded, patched, or reconfigured to add or modify their configuration or dial plans, it becomes very important that there be no side effects for subscribers that would affect their dial-tone access, calling restrictions, or phone features. The phone-based diagnostic tests let network managers test each of these aspects by creating a test plan and scheduling its execution. A simple, easy-to-read set of results is made available with the status of each of these tests, which may be further fed into reporting structures to facilitate operational and executive reporting.

●Site-to-site reachability: As a part of ongoing monitoring and troubleshooting of Cisco Unified Communications deployments, network managers frequently need to test the ability to place and receive calls between remote sites, test for voice-quality issues, and test for basic signaling reachability. The phone-based diagnostic tests let network managers test each of these aspects by creating a test plan and scheduling its execution. Cisco Prime Collaboration displays a simple, easy-to-read result set that users may export for external reporting.

A.Yes, Cisco Prime Collaboration can be used for IP phone tracking. It provides a set of reports that show phone status and phone status change information. The Phone Move Report captures physical movements and failovers while the Phone Audit Report captures state changes, all documented with time stamps. These reports document moves, additions, and changes and support both SIP- and Skinny Call Control Protocol (SCCP)-based IP phones.

A.Yes, Cisco Prime Collaboration provides a reliable method of monitoring and evaluating the quality of voice in Cisco Unified Communications solutions. It continuously monitors active calls supported by the Cisco Unified Communications system and provides near real-time notification when the voice quality of a call, represented as end-user experience expressed by a MOS, fails to meet a user-defined quality threshold. It also provides a variety of reports that characterize the user experience as measured by the system and provide details on the endpoints that are most affected due to voice quality alerts. In addition to call quality analysis, Cisco Prime Collaboration can perform call classification based on dial plan for each cluster that is managed. Cisco Prime Collaboration provides system-defined call types and also allows users to create user-defined call types to correctly classify the calls. The filter-based, on-demand reports for call detail records (CDRs) provide further visibility into various call details needed for analysis or reporting.

Q.What are the 1040 Sensors and what are they used for?

A.A Cisco1040 is a shelf-top unit that connects to the network and obtains Power over Ethernet (PoE) through a Cisco Catalyst
® switch.

The Cisco Prime Collaboration application software receives voice quality information from Cisco 1040 Sensors, Cisco Prime NAM, and Cisco Unified Communications Manager 4.2 or later systems. Users can configure MOS thresholds on a per codec basis, and alerts are sent to an upstream application such as Cisco Prime Collaboration when a MOS threshold is violated.

Q.Where do you deploy the Cisco 1040 Sensors in the network?

A.The Cisco 1040 Sensor can be deployed in campus and remote locations (such as branch offices) to analyze voice-specific Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) data streams and to calculate a MOS value for each stream. The end-user experience is captured, analyzed, and reported every 60 seconds. The Cisco 1040 Sensor uses IEEE 802.3af Power over Ethernet (PoE) and integrates with IP telephony devices such as Cisco Unified IP phones, gateways, and telephony service such as voicemail to measure voice quality. The Cisco 1040 Sensor is FCC Class B-compliant and can be installed in any office environment.

Q.What is call classification?

A.Call classification allows system administrators to understand the types of calls made by the users to provide them guidance on the usage pattern of the unified communications infrastructure. Call types, including Local, International, Conference, and so on, are useful to understand the usage patterns related to the network bandwidth used as well as to monitor the overall call activity. The system administrator uses reports containing this information to communicate the usage to management as well as to request expansion based on usage.

●Northbound application programming interface option to allow provisioning tasks to be created by external applications. This API can be used to interface to human resources systems, Active Directory, branded customer portals, and other OSS provisioning applications.

A.Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning permits web login access based on having a permitted user login and associated user roles within the system. User roles define access to certain functions for that user of the system and are predefined.

Q.Are secure protocols used to communicate with the managed applications?

A.Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning uses the following protocols to talk to its managed devices:

Q.Can I delegate some functions to subadministrators in my organization?

A.Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning uses the concept of IP telephony domains and service areas. Domains are groupings of subscribers. For each grouping, one or more system users can be permitted to order services for subscribers within that domain. In addition, rules or policies may be set on a domain; those rules and policies will apply to services for subscribers in that domain.

Service areas are groupings within an IP telephony domain that are used to structure and manage IP telephony and messaging services. The service area typically acts as a service offering location and provides a template mechanism that determines provisioning policies and values used during order processing. Cisco Prime Collaboration allows administrative users to configure service areas and helps ensure that service orders follow company policy and best practices for subscriber service activation.

A.Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning processes changes to the underlying Cisco Unified Communications applications as service orders. An order may be for a subscriber-level change (to a phone or line, for example) or for an IP-telephony-level infrastructure change (such as provisioning a new calling search space or route pattern). All orders in the system are tracked and viewable, both across orders and by subscriber. The order records show who initiated the order, the times of various process steps, and what the order contained.

Q.What does provisioning policy mean?

A.Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning permits predefining various settings that will ultimately be reflected in the operational services for subscribers (how a phone or its lines are configured, for example). These predefined settings are called policies. Policies can be set against various objects within Cisco Prime Collaboration Provisioning. The following objects can have associated policies:

●Domains

●Service areas

●Subscriber types

●Orders

The policies that are set on these objects will be applied at the time of service activation and will be applied with precedence. For example, it may be desirable that all phones in a domain be permitted to be video-enabled, but one of the service areas in that domain may override that policy and not permit phones to be video-enabled.

Subscribers (people in the organization who have services) are assigned one or more subscriber roles, which determine the policy related to their end services. These roles reflect a subscriber’s position or purpose within an organization and determine the services to which subscribers are entitled. Users with administration privileges in the system can add new subscriber roles for a specific customer domain. They can also associate product catalog items to a given subscriber role (defined for a specific domain), determining the products that can be ordered by users who have that subscriber role.

Q.What are the different subscriber roles supported and can I add new ones?

Day-1 provisioning is typically related to implementing new devices, applications, or locations. An example would be a new Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express deployment to a new location or activating services for a new office on an existing Cisco Unified Communications Manager cluster.

Day-2 provisioning involves making changes to individual subscriber services during the lifetime of the IP communications services.

Q.In a two-machine deployment, which machine is the license installed on?

A.In a two-machine deployment, one machine hosts the web/application server, and the other machine hosts the database. The license file is installed only on the web/application server.

Q.Is there a self-care portal for end users?

A.Yes, an optional license is available for the self-care portal through which end users can provision their speed dials, enable “do not disturb” (DND), configure call forwarding, and perform password and pin resets for their voicemail, and more.

Packaging and System Requirements

Q.How is Cisco Prime Collaboration packaged?

A.Cisco Prime Collaboration is deployed as a virtual appliance. Two separate downloadable open virtual archive (OVA) images, one for assurance and the other for provisioning will be provided for installation onto a VMware server. For further details, see the Quick Start Guide located at
http://www.cisco.com/go/primecollaboration.